1. Technical Field
This invention relates to tools and, more particularly, to a hand-operated wire cutting/tying tool for improving efficiency during construction operations.
2. Prior Art
Concrete is a commonly used building material. Forms are fashioned and concrete is poured into the forms to harden, and then the forms are removed. To reinforce the concrete, a grid of metal “rebar” rods may be placed within the forms so that when the concrete hardens, it is strengthened by the rebar. The grid can be formed by a set of horizontal rebar rods which intersects with a set of vertical rebar rods. To hold the rebar grid in place, it is common to tie off the cross joints of the intersecting horizontal and vertical bars with a wire. This is a time-consuming process when done with two separate tools for tying and cutting the wire, as is the conventional practice.
A conventional hand tie, known in the prior art, using pliers or similar tool, involves looping a strand of wire over a cross joint and pulling it tight so that the loop tightly encloses the joint with the ends of the wire twisted off to prevent unraveling. Generally, two complete twists of 360 degrees each will hold the tie in place. Sometimes the wire is doubled to prevent the wire from breaking at the tie/twist point. Because the tied joint has to hold while concrete is subsequently poured over it into the form, and may also (when the rebar is preassembled off-site) have to hold securely while the rebar grid is lifted, moved, stepped on, and handled, the wire tie must be tight and strong. Thus, sometimes it is necessary to cut and re-tie certain wires to ensure a strong structure.
Accordingly, a need remains for a wire cutting/tying tool in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a combined wire cutting and tying tool that is convenient and easy to use, is durable yet lightweight in design, is effective in its use, and saves the user a considerable amount of time and energy. Such an apparatus advantageously eliminates the need for a mason or construction worker, to carry two separate wire cutting and tying tools. The apparatus thus increases the efficiency of the laborer, allowing them to complete more work in a shorter period of time.